Ginkgo

Alternate names: Southern maidenhair, Kew tree, Japanese Silver Apricot tree

Ginkgo is one of the oldest living tree species. The extract of ginkgo leaves is used in medicine in North America, where it is one of the most popular medicinal herbs and many other countries around the world. In traditional Chinese medicine, the ginkgo tree seeds are used.

To improve mental function
Alzheimer's disease
Age-related memory loss
Macular degeneration
Sexual dysfunction
To improve blood circulation

It is believed that the Ginkgo leaves contain compounds that thin of blood and help improve muscle tone in the walls of blood vessels. This can increase blood flow.

Constituents in leaves of ginkgo may affect blood clotting, extracts of ginkgo leaves should not be used by people with bleeding disorders. Epilepsy (or any person with a history of seizures) should avoid Ginkgo, because it can increase the frequency of seizures.

Products of Ginkgo leaves can affect blood glucose levels, for people with diabetes should only be used under the supervision of a health professional.

The safety of ginkgo in pregnant women or nursing mothers and children is not known.

Side effects of ginkgo leaves include excessive bleeding. Rarely, seizures have been reported in people using the leaf of ginkgo or seeds. Other side effects include digestive problems, headaches, allergic skin reaction or muscle weakness.

People should ne consume fresh ginkgo seeds. Roast ginkgo seeds can cause diarrhea, nausea, indigestion, vomiting, or allergic skin reaction. Side effects of ginkgo seeds fresh or more than 10 roasted seeds ginkgo include death, seizures, loss of consciousness and difficulty breathing.

Ginkgo may increase the effect of blood thinners (antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs), such as clopidogrel, ticlopidine (Ticlid), warfarin (Coumadin), heparin and aspirin, which can cause uncontrolled bleeding or hemorrhage. Some herbs, such as la danshen, Devil's claw, Siberian Ginseng, garlic, ginger, horse chestnut, the papain, red clover, and saw palmetto, can also increase the risk of bleeding if combined with ginkgo.

Ginkgo was found to interfere with the metabolism of drugs processed by an enzyme called cyp3A4. Ask your doctor to check if you take drugs of this type.

Ginkgo may increase the risk of seizure if combined with other medications or herbs that do the same, such as antidepressants, bupropion (Zyban Wellbutrin), certain antibiotics such as penicillin and cephalosporins, corticosteroids, fentanyl (Duragesic) Actiq, theophylline, methylphenidate (e.g. Concerta, Ritalin), drugs that suppress the immune system, such as azathioprine and cyclosporine, Borage, evening primrose and absinthe.

Ginkgo should not be used with the drug cyclosporine (used to suppress the immune system), because it has been found to reduce the effect of this drug. Theoretically, ginkgo may have the same effect with other immunosuppressive drugs.

Ginkgo may interact with insulin and other drugs for diabetes, such as metformin (Glucophage), glyburide (Glynase), glimepiride (Amaryl) and glipizide (Glucotrol XL). It should not be used with medication to prevent seizures.

There were a few cases of arterial hypertension in people taking diuretics ginkgo and thiazide, such as chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide, metolazone polythiazide.

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